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Market Access

South-east Asia today is a 620 million people market with average age under 35 years old and raising incomes. It is the fasters growing region in the world. In 2016. it grew more quickly than China for the first time in more than 20 years.

Over the past decade, it has focused on improving overall health and primary education levels and upgrading infrastructure, yet, there is still a lot of ground to cover, which allows for plenty of investment opportunities in almost every economic sector.

Mongolia was the fastest growing economy in the world in 2011 and 2012, with growth rates of 17 and 12%. It is a natural resource rich country; its lands contain all the elements of the periodic table, but mainly copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold. Given the recent decline in commodity prices and China’s economic slowdown, the Mongolian economy has been hurt.

Through our local partners, we have a real presence in the these markets. We are able to provide our clients information on consumer trends, distribution channels and business practices among others.

Seasoned investment banker with over 26 years of experience in the financial services industry, working for various prestigious financial institutions including HSBC, Credit Suisse First Boston and Crédit Agricole CIB. Most recently, Albert spent almost three years with UBS AG, heading up the bank’s Ultra High Net Worth (“UHNW”) and Corporate Advisory Group businesses for the Middle East & Africa (“MEA”) region. In this role, Albert was responsible for a team of over 55 professionals across Zurich, Geneva and the Dubai International Financial Center (“DIFC”) During his career, Albert has advised various blue-chip clients into and out of the MEA region on several landmark transactions and has developed extensive relationships at all levels with government officials, CEOs and CFOs in the region. Albert holds a Master in International Finance, with Honors from the University of Paris Dauphine (France). He isfluent in English, Arabic and French.

Achit-Erdene has consistently distinguished himself as a pioneer within the Mongolian financial sector. In 2005, he founded MICC, the first investment firm in Mongolia. Achit-Erdene launched the first bond offer
ings on the local stock exchange by major Mongolian companies such as MCS and Gobi Corporation. He has also advised leading Mongolian companies, such as Monnis, Tavan Bogd, Nomin, and Shunkhlai on capital raising and mergers and acquisition transactions. Recently, MICC, led by Achit-Erdene, advised the Mongolian government on the formation and structuring of Erdenes-Tavan Tolgoi in preparation for its immediate privatization and development of the world-class Tavan Tolgoi coking coal deposit. Achit-Erdene has completed dozens of high profile cross border transactions and raised several hundred million dollars for his clients.
Achit-Erdene serves on the board of the Business Council of Mongolia. He is fluent in Mongolian, English, and Russian, and proficient in Japanese and Korean.

Rami Barazi joined SOKOTRA Capital in April 2014, after having spent over 7 years working in the Middle East & Africa investment banking teams of international financial institutions including UBS AG and Crédit Agricole CIB. During his career, Rami has advised various regional and international clients on both M&A (buy-side and sell-side) and ECM (IPOs and private placement) transactions in a wide range of sectors such as TMT, Mining, Infrastructure, Manufacturing and Retail. Rami graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Banking and International Finance from Cass Business School in London and is fluent in English, French as well as being conversationally proficient in Arabic.

Mexican born, Cecilia holds a Double Masters degree in International Economic Development and Economic History by Sciences Po Paris and the London School of Economics and bachelor’s degree in International Relations. Cecilia worked previously at the Mexican Embassy in Brussels in the Economics Department, at the Ministry of Economic Development of the State of Veracruz-Mexico as an adviser to the Minister in themes of international political economy and at the World Heritage Centre-UNESCO.

Pravin Chelluri is an investment banker with over 7 years of experience in advising clients on a broad range of corporate finance transactions in the MEA region. During his career, Pravin has worked in the Middle East offices of various international financial institutions including Crédit Agricole CIB and UBS AG. Pravin has advised clients on both buy-side and sell-side M&A transactions as well as Equity Capital Markets (“ECM”) transactions, covering sectors such as Telecoms, Infrastructure, Manufacturing, Technology, Power, Oil & Gas and Retail. Pravin holds a BS (Hons) in Finance from the American University of Sharjah. He is fluent in English, Hindi and conversationally proficient in Telugu.

George Ashkar has previous experience in the wealth management division at UBS AG where he worked within the UHNW segment servicing the Middle East & North Africa (“MENA”) region. Having spent many years living in Nigeria, George has acquired comprehensive knowledge, both economically and politically, and has established an extensive network within the West Africa region. George holds a BSc in Economics from the American University of Beirut. He is fluent in English, French, Nigerian colloquial English (Nigerian Pidgin) and proficient in Arabic.

Alexandre is the Chairman and CEO of Forward SAS and the co-founder of Frontiers Capital in France and Mongolia.

Alexandre was Special Advisor to the French Minister of Education and Youth and Government Spokesperson; Deputy Chief of Staff of the Minister of Industry and Consumer Affairs, and Chief of Staff of the Government Spokesperson.

Previously, he was Head of Strategy at Crédit Agricole-Corporate and Investment Banking, secretary of the Credit Crisis Committee (at the time of the global financial crisis), the Management Committee and the Investment Committee.

Prior to Crédit Agricole-Corporate and Investment Banking, Alexandre was Deputy Chief of Staff of the Parliament Majority Leader; Advisor to the French Minister for Budget and State Reform and Government Spokesperson. Alexandre started his career in a Real Estate Investment Fund in Paris.

Alexandre has been lecturer at the University of Montpellier on Graduate seminars in the Law and Communication Departments. He currently holds board positions at the Fonds pour le Numérique à l’Ecole and the French American Foundation for Education.

Alexandre graduated from both SciencesPo Paris and the University of Paris. He holds a Master in Finance and another in European and International Business Law.

Senior Advisor Frontiers Capital SAS (France)

Founder of Schroders New Finance Capital, a wholly owned subsidiary of Schroders responsible for its Fund of Hedge Fund business with assets under management of $4.6 billion.

Previously, Marc worked at JP Morgan, Citibank, Bankers Trust and Credit Suisse First Boston, where he was Head of Fixed-Income and Emerging Markets, and a member of the Executive Board of the Group. Marc is an expert in bond trading, sales and origination, high yield debt, emerging markets, foreign exchange and money markets, commodities, real estate finance and fixed income research and he is responsible for the incubation of a family of hedge funds, several of which continue to grow and perform very successfully.

Belgian born, Marc graduated from the Solvay Business School of Brussels.